Andy Murray has won the first Grand Slam title of his career, besting defending U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic in an instant Flushing Meadows classic that stretched five sets and nearly as many hours. Murray's U.S. Open triumph makes him the first British man to win a Grand Slam singles crown since Fred Perry captured the 1936 U.S. Championships at Forest Hills.

The 25-year-old from Scotland won the first set (7-6) after a historic 22-point tiebreaker, the longest tiebreak in U.S. Open final history. After breaking Djokovic to win the second set, 7-5, Murray stood on the precipice of history.

Defending with ferocity and making frequent attacking forays toward the net, Djokovic stormed back into the match, winning the third (6-2) and fourth (6-3) sets to force a decisive winner-take-all fifth set.


As the match moved past four hours and into the fifth set, Djokovic -- who was playing with less rest than his opponent -- began to tire. As his opponent appeared to struggle with injury late in the match, Murray found the form that had staked him to the early lead. With the crowd once again behind him in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Murray powered past Djokovic to capture the final set, 6-2.

When the longtime opponents met at the net after four hours and 54 minutes -- tying for the longest men's final in U.S. Open history -- Djokovic congratulated Murray.

"Great job, you deserve it," the 5-time Grand Slam champion said to Murray, via Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times.

Sean Connery watches Britain's Andy Murray play Serbia's Novak Djokovic during the championship match at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in New York.


Murray said the disappointment of losing to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final in July was tough to take but added he was proud of the way he had reacted, beating Federer to win Olympic gold last month and now Djokovic to win his first major.

"To come back in the next Grand Slam and to win it in a five-set match against Djokovic on a hard court - he hasn't lost for a couple of years on a hard court in a Grand Slam - is unbelievable," said Murray.

News Source. HuffingtonPost